Radio Static

[hubcityford]

Factory AM/FM radio sounds good in aux key position but once I crank it goes straight static. I know there are several causes for RF noise however is this a “common problem” with an “easy solution”. Just looking for any suggestions.

[Gary Lewis]

The V8's used a condensor/capacitor on the coil to cut that noise, and all of them did on the voltage regulator.  Do you have those?

This page from the '85 EVTM shows the one for the regulator.  And the one for the ignition system is usually mounted on the coil with the lead going up to one of the terminals.  They are about 1 1/2" long and as big around as your pointer finger, with a bracket around them to ground them and one wire coming out.

[hubcityford]

I think that’s what is on my coil (bottom right), not sure about voltage regulator but if all had them there I should. Will one by regulator look the same? Will they just need replacing? Truck is at a garage now so I can’t check, and I don’t have great photos of the regulator, either too far or not good angle to see.

Thanks
Jeremy

[Gary Lewis]

Yes, that's what is on the coil, and the one on the regulator should be the same.  Don't know if the parts stores carry them as I've not every replaced them, but they can probably get old and die.  So that would be the first place I'd look.

[hubcityford]

I will start there...I work at an electricity G&T so I have electrical engineers all around. This may be a problem they will love to solve.

Jeremy

[Gary Lewis]

I have no idea what the capacitance of the thing is supposed to be, but I'm pretty sure it is any electrolytic capacitor.  They may give you some to try and you can just clip them on to see if it helps.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Maybe it's time for new plug wires or resistor plugs?
They do break down over time and the secondary side of the ignition is the usual cause for radio static.

[ArdWrknTrk]

I'm pretty sure they were film capacitors.
That's why the rolled up (in a can) form factor.

[Gary Lewis]

Good points, Jim.

[81f100custom]

When I replaced the one on mine they had gone from the round style to this or at least the part numbers matched and crossed over to this one now.

[Gary Lewis]

That's good to know.  

[ArdWrknTrk]

Did you replace yours because testing showed it had broken down, or because you were trying to resolve radio interference?

(Thanks for the photo of the updated cap, with engineering #).

[81f100custom]

No replaced mine because it was never there and missing when I got the truck years ago. I started digging into what should have been connected to the wire connector that was just sitting there not plugged into anything. With enough research and hunting and crossing numbers come to find out this one had succeeded the older one. May still be able to find the older round style if searched enough but I just decided to go with the newer style replacement.

[ArdWrknTrk]

You can still get the old style. I picked one up from U-Techcenter the last time I ordered stuff from them.
Because they combine shipping it made sense.